Found an old Wested swatch, can you help identify it?

[SFGiant]

Doing something unrelated I coincidentally found a leather sample I got from 12-13 years ago. Right at the same time as I'm researching Wested jackets. But I don't remember anything about it, can you help?

It's a dark brown color through and through, but with the right angle and flashlight on it, it looks medium chocolate brown.

The little pebbles are very small. It's not very smooth. Not in the way you'd find on say a nice lambskin coat from a mall store. It feels like running my fingers across denim, orange peel, or a smoother basketball surface.

To be honest I don't like it, and I'd really just want it identified so I know what to avoid. Different strokes..

I'm just hoping this isn't authentic lambskin as I was hoping that would be buttery smooth. I'm also curious, if this ISN'T cowhide, what cowhide feels like because I want cowhide eventually.

[Tibor]

Goatskin

[WConly]

Agreed! To my eyes--goatskin. W>

[Michaelson]

Goatskin. I think I have one stashed in a drawer myself. I’ve been cutting strips off of it to make watch fobs for years.

Bear in mind, not all goatskin is alike, so don’t let this one data point put you off.

Regards! Michaelson

[SFGiant]

Yeah I do have a goatskin jacket from 2008-9 and it feels different that’s why I was confused. It was never as smooth or soft as lambskin but wasn’t too bad.

[Forrest For the Trees]

Goat.

[SFGiant]

Is cowhide smooth the way nice dress shoes are? Even if they’re stiff?

[Illinois_Jones]

Depends. Shoes are stretched over a last, so it inherently smoothes it out like a facelift. Really nice shoes are often shell cordovan, which is horse and really isn't even hide and is very smooth. But cowhide tends to have a noticeable grain and is usually more spongey than other common leathers, not as much as steer let alone bison but it does have a grain. If a leather is really smooth then it's almost certainly split/corrected grain. And there's also the dye top coat -- aniline leathers have a certain wear pattern because the dye is more like wood stain, but most everyday leathers you'll encounter have a topcoat more like paint or varnish that's like an artificial layer on top that helps smooth it out.

[SFGiant]

Very informative thank you.

[xmasters]

I got a new goat Wested just a year ago and its a liitle bit smoother looking than than and lighter brown. I did have one from about seven years ago and it was very stiff and plasticy. I didn't like it. My new one is much better. Goat still not my favourite though, only get it if you want a jacket that's tough and not heavy.

[SFGiant]

I got a new goat Wested just a year ago and its a liitle bit smoother looking than than and lighter brown. I did have one from about seven years ago and it was very stiff and plasticy. I didn't like it. My new one is much better. Goat still not my favourite though, only get it if you want a jacket that's tough and not heavy.

Agreed. I’ve felt very soft/smooth areas of goat on my jacket but most of it feels…dried out..and pebbly. But definitely definitely super tough and doesn’t weather at all.